Issue date: 4/9/08 Section: City

Developers unveiled a new plan to reduce the proposed height of the controversial Fountain Square tower Tuesday night, saying they will shorten the building from 49 stories to 38 stories in response to citizen outcry about the building's size.

Representatives from Focus Development, Klutznick-Fisher Development Company and architecture firm Booth Hansen presented the revisions to the Planning and Development Committee. The committee granted them two weeks to change the tower's design after hearing input from residents and aldermen at the March 24 council meeting.

Larry Booth of Booth Hansen said the integrity of their plan remains intact despite the 22 percent reduction in height.

"We wanted to stick to our guns on form-based design," Booth said. "(We will) continue the effort to make a capstone building for downtown Evanston, a signature building for downtown."

Other changes to the tower, which would be located at 708 Church St., were minor, including a slightly reduced floor area ratio. There would still be 218 residential units, as well as four stories of retail and parking at the base of the building.

Opposition to the tower has been vocal from some sectors, and representatives from several local activist groups attended the meeting. Aldermen acknowledged that not all anti-tower sentiment was because of the height, but Steve Friedland, an attorney for the developers, said they would not address other issues at the meeting because they wanted to focus solely on the redesign.

The council also declined to discuss other issues, such as the building's impact on Evanston's economy, until a city-commissioned report is completed around the beginning of May.

"We should be armed with (the) analysis," said Ald. Steven Bernstein (4th).

The bulk of the council discussion concerned whether to involve the Plan Commission in an official decision-making capacity.

At the regular council meeting, Ald. Delores Holmes (5th) said the council needs to learn more about the financial status of the project and the tower's economic impact. The city hired a consultant, who will report to the Economic Development Committee on April 30. Aldermen will hold an additional special meeting on May 7 at 6:30 p.m., with 90 minutes reserved for public comment before a committee discussion.

Council members and developers agreed that, whatever the outcome, this is an issue that will not go away soon.

"We want it to be the tallest building in Evanston for a long, long time," Booth said. "Like maybe 1,000 years."

megancrepeau2007@u.northwestern.edu and kirstinmaguire2007@u.northwestern.edu

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